GP Fault Using Compaq Windows Utilities

• Microsoft Office for Windows, version 4.0, 4.2, 4.3
• Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows, version 4.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
• Microsoft Works for Windows, version 3.0
• Microsoft Access for Windows, version 2.0
• Microsoft Publisher for Windows, version 2.0
• Microsoft StyleLine Design Pack

SYMPTOMS

When you have both the Compaq utilities in Compaq OEM Windows version 3.1, and you have one or more of the applications above installed on your computer, one of the following symptoms occurs:

• You receive a general protection (GP) fault when you use the Compaq Windows utilities.

  -or-

• You cannot run a Microsoft Windows OLE version 2.0 application.

• Not enough memory to run Microsoft Word.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because the Microsoft applications listed above use a file, STORAGE.DLL, and the Compaq system utilities also use a file named STORAGE.DLL. The Compaq STORAGE.DLL file is located in the CPQWIN subdirectory of the Windows directory. The Microsoft Windows STORAGE.DLL file is located in the SYSTEM subdirectory of the Windows directory. Because only one STORAGE.DLL file at a time can be loaded in your computer's memory, a conflict occurs when an application tries to use the wrong version of this file.

If you run one of the applications listed above first, (after starting Microsoft Windows, and before running one of the Compaq system utilities) you receive a GP fault when you then try to run one of the Compaq system utilities. On the other hand, if you run one of the Compaq system utilities first, (after starting Microsoft Windows, and before running one of the applications listed above) you cannot start one of the applications listed above.

WORKAROUNDS

To avoid these problems, exit Microsoft Windows between running an OLE 2.0 application and one of the Compaq system utilities (you cannot run an OLE 2.0 application and a Compaq system utility in the same Microsoft Windows session).

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

STORAGE.DLL is an object linking and embedding (OLE) 2.0 dynamic link library file that is used by applications that support OLE version 2.0 to provide a more abstract view of OLE files. The STORAGE.DLL file allows a document file to be viewed as if it were an entire file system, complete with subdirectories and files that can be copied, deleted, and moved, instead of as a flat stream of bytes on the disk. This structure is necessary to provide a location for OLE objects (each requires its own subdirectory inside a file), and also to provide compatibility between applications. For example, a file preview is saved in a particular "file" inside a document file, so that any application that uses STORAGE.DLL can locate and use it for previews in the OpenFile or FindFile dialog boxes.

If you run Compaq Windows with Tabworks by Xerox, you may get the error:

   Could not load STORAGE.DLL